Around age 10, I was handed a packet of seeds and pointed in the direction of an overgrown garden bed on my family’s 35-acre property. I carefully cleared the weeds, tilled the soil, and removed the rocks. I diligently watered my little charges for weeks yet nothing grew. I refused to accept failure and tried again. Later that spring, watching the bees and butterflies bounce between the multicolored zinnia blooms, I was hooked. Since then, I have considered gardening as my first career. Gardening has taught me numerous important lessons: the importance of patience, trusting my instincts, observing mistakes as learning opportunities, considering different perspectives, and most importantly, the value of firsthand experience. When I found landscape architecture, I knew it was for me because it allows me to implement and further develop these skills. Each project is an opportunity to channel my creativity, shape the community in which I live and work, and ensure nature can thrive in the built environment. Working as a landscape architect requires that I am able to translate my ideas into reality. Clearly communicating with clients and team members, collaborating to achieve a shared vision for the best solution, and developing complete documents are all skill sets I continue to develop. Being able to think critically and make decisions in the field results in a project which meets both my personal and project goals. I continue to draw inspiration from nature and the people with whom I work. I strive to demonstrate that no space is too small or too simple to create an impact just as that small patch of zinnias did for me. The smallest design detail can lead someone to discover something new, find inspiration, nurture a love of nature, or simply find delight in a moment.